Dry-kiln.



I C. A. LOHMAN.

DRY KILN.v

APPLICATION PuiMun/18,1911.

1,274,911. PatentedAug. 6,1918.

l'llllllllll IIHIIIIIUHI ll UNrrED STATES PATENT orme f CARL A.' LoHMAN, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

. DRY-KILN.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CA'RL A. Lor-IMAN, Va citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Seattle, county of King, and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry-Kilns of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dry kilns which are intended for the drying of lumber, and comprises certain novel fleatures of construction which will be hereinafter described and then particularly defined by the claims. The accompanying drawings show the particular construction which embodies the features of myl invention. Y

Figure 1 is a transverse sectionalI elevation of the kiln, and Fig. 2 alongitudinal sectional elevation of the. same.v f

The kiln, as herein shown, reallyconsists of an interior kiln construction which is composed ofosome non-combustible structural. material, such for instance, as brick;y

' tile, concrete, or the like`,and an outer inclosing casing: which, for economy sake, may be made of wood.

The kiln herein illustrated is one which is Y of the single charge type, that is, the entire in place. Y l

The inner or masonry structure comprlsesV charge for the kiln is put in at one timeand is left in place within the kiln until the dry ing operation has been completed, after upper section 1, -which incloses' the drying chamber, or" that intowhichthe lumber is placed. The lower section contains a heating chamber 2 and suitable iues for the control ofthe air supply and circulation. These two sections are separated by a floor 10 upon i which the rails for the support of the dry kiln trucks are placed. The heating chamber 2 has cross bars or supports 20, upon which are placed the heating pipes 3. This heating chamber is connected with the drying chamber, at one side of the kiln, by anv opening 11 which is left in the oor. This opening lies close against the side wall and the air from the heating chamber kis discharged into the space 12 which exists between the side of the load and the side wall of the kiln.

At the opposite side of the kiln, a wall or partition 13 extends downward from the floor, at a point somewhat inward from the side wall and to a level where it is beneath which itis removedand a new lchargeis put the steam heatingpipes 3.` The Hue 14 thus formed, communicates with the ldrying chamber by means of a hole left in-the floor and withthe heating chamber by means of ahole or port 15, which is left in the wall 13.

The opening 15 is controlled by means of a damper or Vvalve 4, whereby the flow of air through this opening may be stopped when this is desired. I also provide fresh air supplying iiues 5 which communicate with the heating cham er by means of openings, as 50. `These openings may, or may not, be provided with dampers, but in any event, the flow of airl through these fines is controlled in any manner found most suitable.

At the top of the drying chamber' small flues 6 are-provided, these Yextending to the outside air andbeing provided with. a cap 60, or other suitable means, whereby the flow of airthrough them may be controlled. At one side of thekiln a discharge flue or flues 7 is provided, this having1 communication with the interior of the drying chamber by means of opening,.as 70, in, the wall between them. This flue is also controlled so as to use it or not, as may be desired.

I provide steam pipes 8, which are perforated, so as to discharge steam directly into the kiln. These pipes are preferably located upon the floor 10, although they may be located in any position found desirable.- The steamsupply for these pipes is controlled separatelyY from the supplyufor the first" step. in the process should include ther direct injection of steam into the drying chamber so to contact directlywith the lumber; This steaming Aof thelumber acts upon the pores of the lumber to put it in better condition for the later extraction of the sap and moisture contained therein. After the lumber has been suitably steamed, the steam supply is cut olf. During this preliminary stage in the drying operations, the small discharge flue 6 may be opened so as to discharge surplus steam.

After this preliminary stage, the air contained in the kiln, is given a circulation, through the action of the heating pipes 3 and the flue system employed. Air, after being heated by the pipes 3, passes upwardly through the opening 11 into the space 12 at one side of the pile. The lumber being dried is supposed to be piled in horizontal layers Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 6, 19u18, Application mea July 1s, 1917.v serial No. 181,225.

ers from one side oftheliliigtothegotherV and is collected at the space l2 at this side of the kiln and passes downward through fthe.'

flue 14 and is discharged through the openi ng,l5 into-;the;lower..part of theih'eating chamber 2.

Aft-er the lumber has been exposed't'o this conditiona s uljlicient length of, t iine, I prefer that fthekiln be supplied with fresh Yair taken directly from tlieputside, which is "o ii culatedl through tlie 'lninber, and is then d i s charged without the kiln. This maybe done by permitting free vingressgof through the .lues 5 andf'bypeiiinittiiig Qtlieffreefdischarge oftheI air Lfrom th@ Vertical flue 7.

this stage of vthe Ioperation"the damper afshould" be' v thrown 'ufpward into position Where'it ,would close the openings `l5, thereby cutting olf .the closed ciiulation within vthe kiln. .In thisinaniier coolair maybe. admitted so as to'cooldown the lumber as' it is'in the kiln and to carryLaway the last remnants of moisture vcontained `in the lumber. I i i A which are composed Vof posts 25, which are preierablyv each composed of a plufralitynoi studs placed in contact. poli these securedan outer 'layer 26 which may be. of any suitable typeof luniberoi'v other material.

'n the upper part of thisframe work u stud- 27 maybe employed Ywhichisw'iri'clined linwardly toward its upper end solasto conoiinfto the 'inclination which Igprefer `to giVeto/the side wallsof.the kiln.l This inward inclination to walls of ythe kiln reduces the width of the spaces lZattlie side oftheload, the'i'ebycntting downithe areaV of :the passage about thefloa'd'and tendiiigtp force the circulation to pass through the openings between theV successive layers of lumber in the pile. l

Theroof of thekiln contains oist-s'2 8 and.

a covering, as 29,`which may be of any suit- The outer casing o ftliekilnjhas side .walls ableinaterial. The roof' structure is `preferably placed slightly above the masonry "ioo'f"o'f"tlie inner kiln structure, to thereby perinjit Cfleedexpanfion and contraction of the latter under heat. The outer insulating Casing of the kiln is thus supported indei dry, kil 'having ,a drying Chamber, en .2111'.lleatmgiehenlbr beneath-fthe. styles chamber, 'and iflues to produce`- la, circulation between Said chambers, i steam discharging pipe s,f 1 steam heating Vpipes located [in the hat1echamiber, alldamper. @lblle the circulation rnii the ,drying to the heating chamber, a4 discharging' ffliie forT the drying Chamber .and an .airA Supplyingflueftfth heating-@wher- 'L y 3. A 'dry kiln hayinga drying 'cliamber,r a heating lliainloer kbei'ieatli ftli'e` flo/or of the drying'.chainber, 'sai djfloor having `lan opening at 'one side? ofthe' kiln foriiinga Qommiinication between said ,chianibers,l ,i'iieat the other side of ythe kiln extendingv from the H ooijof the 'dryinggohaniber d ifvnward alongside the heating 'chaniber, and,lia-ying Openings Q Qmmuneatlg with .the hea-tie Chamber, .e .demper @dwelling saldi opeeinee heetmgpies 'arranged irllfighdliaental layer berthe devel Ofsaid @Peiling Pint@ the flue, Maydisharge flue '.connnunicating with thedryile `11eeber-eed,al e-reupp'y ing -ue extending'lengthwise of the ,and having @Reinas .discharging 111,90 the heet* ingo'.chamber.o` l 'i i 'ist-gm@ at, Seattle, Washington; :this 112th dfly '0f '3111x1917 c I L l CARL A LOHMAN. 1

@pies fami pareil@ may be "obeiinea :pr 'me @am eachtpyfagiresingtile eanginigsi-@nefjaggregaat; yq'sahiagteafare 

